About the Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) Exam

Quick Answer: The AI-102 exam has 40-60 questions, a 120-minute time limit, and requires 700/1000 to pass. It covers six domains spanning Azure AI services including computer vision, NLP, generative AI, knowledge mining, content moderation, and solution management. The exam costs $165 USD with no prerequisite certifications required.

The Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) certification validates your ability to plan, manage, and implement AI solutions that leverage Azure AI services. This includes building solutions with Azure AI Vision, Azure AI Language, Azure AI Speech, Azure OpenAI Service, Azure AI Search, Azure AI Document Intelligence, and Azure AI Content Safety.

As of December 2025, Microsoft refreshed the AI-102 exam objectives to emphasize Azure AI Foundry, generative AI with Azure OpenAI Service, and agentic AI patterns. The exam now tests your ability to build intelligent applications that combine traditional cognitive services with modern large language model (LLM) capabilities.

Exam Format at a Glance

Domain Breakdown

On the Exam: NLP (25-30%) is the heaviest single domain. Combined with Generative AI (10-15%), language-related topics account for roughly 35-45% of the exam. Computer Vision (15-20%) and Plan/Manage (15-20%) together form another 30-40%. Allocate your study time accordingly.

Question Types Explained

Multiple-Choice (Single Select)

You are presented with a question and four answer options. One answer is correct. These often test your ability to select the correct Azure AI service or SDK method for a given scenario.

Multiple-Answer (Multi-Select)

You are given a question with five or more options and asked to select two or three correct answers. Common for questions asking which services or features to combine for a solution.

Drag-and-Drop (Ordering/Matching)

You may need to arrange API calls in the correct order, match Azure AI services to their capabilities, or sequence pipeline steps correctly.

Case Studies

You receive a detailed business scenario (2-4 pages) describing requirements, architecture, and constraints. Multiple questions reference the same case study. You cannot go back to previous case study sections.

Scenario-Based

A shorter scenario (1-2 paragraphs) followed by a single question. These test your ability to select the right Azure AI service, API parameter, or architecture pattern.

Tip: Case study questions are worth the same as other questions but take more time. Budget approximately 15-20 minutes for each case study section and manage your time carefully.

Who Should Take This Exam?

The AI-102 is designed for professionals who:

• AI engineers building and deploying Azure AI solutions in production
• Software developers integrating Azure cognitive services into applications
• Data scientists transitioning to engineering AI solutions on Azure
• Solution architects designing AI-powered architectures on Azure
• DevOps engineers managing AI solution deployment and monitoring
• Cloud engineers expanding their Azure skills into AI and machine learning

Prerequisites

Microsoft states there are no formal prerequisite certifications for the AI-102. However, they strongly recommend:

• Proficiency in C# or Python — the exam tests SDK usage in these languages
• Experience with REST APIs — many questions involve constructing API calls to Azure AI services
• Familiarity with JSON — understanding request/response payloads
• Azure fundamentals knowledge — resource groups, subscriptions, Azure portal, Azure CLI
• Basic understanding of AI/ML concepts — supervised learning, neural networks, NLP fundamentals

On the Exam: Unlike the AZ-900, the AI-102 is a hands-on implementation exam. Questions test your ability to write code, configure services, and troubleshoot solutions — not just theoretical knowledge.

How to Register

1. Visit Microsoft Learn Certifications
2. Click Schedule exam and sign in with your Microsoft account
3. Select Pearson VUE as the exam delivery provider
4. Choose a test center near you or select online proctoring
5. Pick your preferred date and time
6. Pay $165 USD (or equivalent in your currency)

Discounts and Vouchers

• Microsoft Enterprise Skills Initiative: Employees at participating organizations may receive free exam vouchers
• Microsoft Learn Cloud Skills Challenges: Periodic challenges that award exam vouchers upon completion
• Student discounts: Students with a verified .edu email may receive discounted pricing
• Employer reimbursement: Many tech employers reimburse certification costs

What to Expect on Exam Day

At a Pearson VUE test center:

• Arrive 15 minutes early
• Bring two forms of valid identification (one must be government-issued photo ID)
• All personal items are stored in a locker
• No notes, phones, or smartwatches allowed in the testing room
• A whiteboard or erasable notepad may be provided for scratch work

For online proctoring:

• Government-issued photo ID required
• A quiet, private room with a clear desk
• Webcam and microphone are mandatory
• Stable internet connection
• No secondary monitors, phones, or reference materials
• A proctor monitors you via webcam throughout the exam

Scoring

The exam uses a scaled scoring model ranging from 100 to 1,000. The passing score is 700. The scaled score does not translate directly to a percentage. After completing the exam, you receive a pass/fail notification on screen immediately. Your detailed score report showing performance by domain is available in your Microsoft Learn profile within minutes.

Certification Renewal

The Azure AI Engineer Associate certification is valid for 12 months. To maintain your certification, you must complete a free online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn before the expiration date. The renewal assessment covers the latest updates to the exam objectives and does not require visiting a test center.

Career Path

Important: The AI-102 exam is scheduled to retire on June 30, 2026. Microsoft will replace it with a successor exam (AI-103). If you are planning to earn this certification, complete the exam before the retirement date. Your earned certification remains valid through its renewal cycle even after the exam retires.